With the Holidays just around the corner, "What's for dessert?" is the only question on my mind. The best thing about working in a bakery is there is never a shortage of good food to choose from. If you find yourself in a crunch for time this year and want to lighten your baking load, we are here to help. At Incredibly Delicious, we are always happy to provide the easy answer for all your Holiday Entertaining! Many of you joined us for our Holiday Open House on Saturday to taste a variety of samples and explore what we have to offer this year. For those of you who were unable to attend, we offer a visual guide to the possibilities instead.

Thanksgiving

Be it a family gathering or a communion of friendships, Thanksgiving is a time to come together, appreciate the goodness in our lives, and share our table with loved ones. Pumpkin has arguably been the showstoppers of this Holiday but we happen to love all our desserts equally at this bakery and don't discriminate against the occasional wild card like our Linzer Torte. This Austrian delight is actually one of the oldest known cakes in the world and originated in Linz, Austria in 1696. Torte is the German word for "cake" but your won't find any cake in this Torte. Our Linzer Torte is made of a single layer and resembles a Tart more than a traditional layer cake. It consists of a rich hazelnut pastry filled with our house made raspberry jam and is topped with pistachios. A good pick for an adventurous crowd who enjoys a bit of history with their dessert.

Our next dessert on the list of favorites is the Cranberry Walnut Orange Tart. I can remember my mother making this tart every season and always looking forward to the very first bite. The sweet cookie crust is the perfect home for layers of cranberry, candied orange peel, and toasted walnuts. There is a secret ingredient that I can't give away but it makes all the difference in the flavor. This tart will always be at the top of my list of favorites.

For those of you who must have traditional Pumpkin at the table but don't want to forgo the excitement of flavor, we have the perfect tart for you! Our Pumpkin Tart is baked in a sweet cookie shell and topped with a walnut streusel finished with candied ginger. It's all the richness of your favorite traditions punched up to the next level. Finished with rich whipped cream, this dessert will not disappoint.

Last but not least is the Pear Cranberry Tart. If you have any concerns about nut allergies or want something a little bit lighter after your Thanksgiving Feast, this is a great choice. A sweet cookie shell filled with chopped cranberries and pears finished with a light apricot glaze. This tart affords a delicate balance of sweet and tart that is pleasing to the palate.

When it comes to cake, we want to reflect the feeling of warmth that gathering with those you love can bring. Inspired by the beautiful changing season our Caramel Apple Spice Cake is the perfect embodiment of Fall. Moist spice cake layered with cardamon scented apples and caramel buttercream. This rich layered cake will be a hit at your Thanksgiving Feast.

If you seek tradition in a cake form, the Pumpkin Spice Cake will be just right for your family. Delicate spice cake layered with pumpkin cream cheese mousse finished with our vanilla buttercream. Need I say more?

If you still don't see something you like yet, don't despair... We have more to offer!

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Tart- with coffee whipped cream

Cherry Almond Tart- tart cherries, marzipan, sliced almonds

Fall Fruit Tart-apple, pears, and cranberries

Pumpkin Cheesecake- everyone's favorite

Vanilla Chai Cake- vanilla cake, chai mousse, coffee buttercream

Please order for Thanksgiving by November 19th at 3pm by calling us Today at 217-528-8548!

Christmas

Like most little girls, my absolute favorite time of year was Christmas. My Nana would wrap up cans of black olives and put them under her tree for me. I thought it was the coolest present on the face of the earth because she knew how much I liked them. My oldest son loves black olives too and I carry on her tradition still today. The thing that I most adored about Nana's house were her cookie trays. She would make several varieties, including date pinwheel, butterscotch oatmeal, Mexican wedding, toffee squares, old fashioned sugar cookie, and Divinity. My beloved favorite of everything she made was her Loutia Usher cookies, simply named after the woman who gave her the recipe. Today we still carry on those traditions at Incredibly Delicious except our Loutia Usher cookies are called Walnut Shortbread. As life gets busier it is nice to introduce traditions in your own family that don't require a lot of effort. As a mother of four children, I have always enjoyed our seasonal Ready to Decorate Cookie kits. It's a great way to spend time with my kids without the fuss of baking. This year we are offering the kits in Gingerbread!

Buche de Noel​In the twenty years that I have been a part of Incredibly Delicious, I can truly say that Buche de Noel are my very most favorite thing to create. We offer them for a few weeks in December and then they are gone until next year. Buche de Noel are the French version of a traditional Yule Log. We make ours with delicate flavorful sponge cake rolled with buttercream and decorated to look like a fancy Christmas Log. We change up the flavors every year and I am so excited about this years selections!​Chocolate Passion Fruit- Chocolate sponge rolled with passion fruit buttercream finished with chocolate buttercreamHazelnut Raspberry- ​Hazelnut sponge rolled with raspberry buttercream finished with hazelnut buttercream

Holiday CakesOur Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Cake is like a giant hug. Rich chocolate cake layers with white chocolate peppermint mousse finished with vanilla buttercream and a red peppermint swirl. Our Winter Wonderland Cake tastes like a mouthful of snowflakes. Vanilla cake, white chocolate mousse, cherries, and dark chocolate pieces. Even if you can't run head first into a snowbank to make snow angels, our Winter Wonderland cake will make you feel like you have. Also available for you Holiday table to order:

Please order our Featured Christmas Cakes by December 20th. Call 528-8548 to place your order today!

Bakery ItemsHaving things around the house for a delicious and easy breakfast on holiday mornings is always a good idea. I usually have the best intentions of baking something but the rush of life leads me to a box of cereal. We offer several great ways to feed your family on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. Yes, cookies for breakfast are completely acceptable on Holidays!

I learned in Italy with my husband to never underestimate the satisfaction of a good olive oil and a crusty loaf of bread, especially when there is grated parmesan involved (and wine!) Thankfully you don't have to travel around the world to get either of those today! At Incredibly Delicious you may have noticed our display of tasty goods from around the globe just inside our front door. The Olive Oils and Jams we offer are the perfect complement to our bread. We sample different Oils daily, that you are welcome to try while standing in line. Feel free to shop our store this season for easy gift giving and entertaining. We offer a variety of gift baskets in $20, $30, or $50 combinations.

Ultimately, even if the Turkey gets burned or Grandma has too much rum in her eggnog, the Holidays are all about sharing the things you love with the people you hold closest to your heart. We are here to help you make these special days wonderful in any way we can! Don't be shy, we get strange questions all the time. We are experts at knowing just what Aunt Vicky who is allergic to every nut known to man can eat on Thanksgiving. Give us a call at 528-8548. As we all know at Incredibly Delicious, Life is short... EAT DESSERT FIRST!

Every year as the seasons change and fall rolls around, the Illinois Times offers Springfieldians the opportunity to voice their opinions, showcasing outstanding businesses and citizens with the title "Best of Springfield" for their contributions that make Springfield, Illinois a great place to live. This long standing tradition is a great way to get to know the locals and give a shout out to those we think the most of in our community. Incredibly Delicious is honored to have been nominated in three different categories this year: Best Farmer's Market Vendor, Best Bakery, and Best Wedding Cakes! Voting is open until October 2nd and the Results are announced October 27th. We thank you deeply for your nominations and want to take a moment to highlight the amazing people behind these nominations who we are grateful to work with every day!

Nominated Best Farmer's Market VendorThe Old Capitol Farmer's Market was established in 1999 and is said to be Springfield's longest-running and most popular Farmer's Market located in beautiful downtown Springfield on South 4th Street and East Adams. Market hours are Wednesday and Saturday Mornings from 8:00am -Noon. The Market runs mid May through the end of October. Each season the Market kicks off with cake donated by Incredibly Delicious to commence the start of a new year. The season closes with HALLOWEEN AT THE MARKET on October 29th, a family friendly event where a costume contest is held for children up to 12 years old and pets are welcome.

Incredibly Delicious is proud to be celebrating our 14th year at the Farmer's Market. We would like to honor the man who makes it all possible, Gary Huff. If there is one thing you need to know about Gary, it's that he lives and breathes for the customers at the Farmer's Market. For the past 14 years, Gary has been the backbone of the Market for our little French Bakery. What once started as just a few baguettes and a couple loaves a bread sold out of the back of a rusty old van, has now turned into over 700 hand crafted baked goods that are loaded into our new and improved rust-free delivery van, every Wednesday and Saturday Morning. A typical Market Day for Gary starts with his 4am arrival at Incredibly Delicious where he greets the morning crew with ample enthusiasm. I doubt that anyone has ever seen a human more eggar than Gary to get up before dawn and go to work, especially for someone who is retired. From the minute he steps through the door, it is a constant hustle to get everything loaded and downtown by 7am for set up.

What makes him work so hard when he could be at home relaxing and enjoying his retirement? It's the People, he says. Every single customer is important to Gary. He simply loves being outside and interacting with the People. From 1974 to 1992 Gary sold Watermelons, Pumpkins, and Christmas Trees every year in the ever changing Illinois weather for the Andersons. I can remember as a little girl going to pick out a tree and seeing him there each year. Gary knows his customers for sure, like the Mother and Daughter pair who come every Wednesday and Saturday to buy their favorite weekly loaves of Wheat Raisin Walnut Bread. Not only the regulars but also those new to the market alike, he cares about them all. His favorite questions is, "What is in the Sport Loaf?" which has a long list of ingredients that he is always happy to name. The 75 cent Fish Cookies are also a must in Gary's book, for Children and Adults. The specialty croissant, brownies, bread, and rolls are quite Incredibly Delicious too.

One thing is for sure, The Farmer's Market is Gary's Favorite subject to talk about and we love his enthusiasm for it! Gary has helped our Farmer's Market booth grow so much over he years and we couldn't have done it without him.

Nominated Best BakeryOur motto at Incredibly Delicious is, "Life is Short... EAT DESSERT FIRST!" Certainly no truer words have been spoken than these. In August of 1995 Patrick Groth started Incredibly Delicious based on his passion for one dreamy dessert, a stay in France, and a degree from the French Culinary Institute. After ordering 500 pounds of chocolate, Patrick quickly realized that his Mother's oven could not keep up with the growing demand for his Flourless Chocolate Cake. It was time to take his dream one step further. The historic Weber house was newly renovated and renting space out to businesses. Its unique charm and atmosphere became the perfect place to start up a little French Bakery. A pastry showcase, a modest kitchen, and one small dinning room later, Incredibly Delicious was born.

Patrick's dear friend and former colleague, Bitzy, came to town to help get the business started. He worked in the hot kitchen while she kept the customers happy in the cool dinning room. She intended to only stay for a few weeks, until the business was established, but somewhere along the way sparks flew and Romance was added to the menu. The weeks turned into months, and the months turned into years. As the menu grew, so did their love; And as the business grew in popularity, it also expanded throughout the Weber House. It now occupies the whole building with welcoming gardens and a quaint courtyard for outdoor dinning.

Although Incredibly Delicious may have expanded greatly in size over time, it still maintains the same principles that started the dream 21 years ago. We are your neighborhood bakery; open for your morning coffee and croissant, serving quiche for lunch with a friend, and making those one of a kind items for your very special occasions.

Nominated Best Wedding CakesWhen Incredibly Delicious first opened, I was a senior in high school. I started working for my brother the summer after graduation in 1996. I still remember the day he told me he found a great little spot for rent and asked if I wanted to come see it. I'll never forget that car ride or the feeling I got when we pulled up outside the future home of the Bakery. I instantly fell in love. The building was full of charm. Each wall spoke of the history it once held. I could see the potential immediately and knew this was meant to be. I had no idea then that this moment in time would become such a significant part of my future or that I would one day meet my husband while working together at Incredibly Delicious.

I haven't always made cakes, I started at the very beginning washing dishes. I was terrified of customers, didn't want to talk to anybody, and loved to hide in the kitchen. My big brother Patrick instilled confidence in me every day. He trusted me with important tasks and taught me so much. With his guidance I quickly learned how to do nearly everything in the kitchen and work the front of the house as well. When it came to Buttercream, it just felt right. I learned how to do it all and became the Cake Lady. As the business grew, so did the demand for cakes and it out grew me as a single person. Making Wedding Cakes became my career but none of it would happen every day without the fantastic people who make it possible for me to work at a job I love.

After 20 years at Incredibly Delicious, I truly believe that I work with some of the most caring, talented people in Springfield. Every cake has a story behind it. Every customer is important to us. The details collected aren't just about the decor and theme, they are so much more than that. Our cake consultants and staff are very good at listening to what people want. We have a great crew of people who can handle a full work load very well. Everybody on staff is important. From the dishwashers who provide clean utensils, to the order takers, the bakers, and the buttercream makers. A Wedding Cake doesn't happen with just one person. It takes many, it takes all.

I'd like to say a special thanks to the core team members who support me in my freedom to produce Cake Art. James, Andy, and Devlin who work tirelessly to help meet the demands of wedding cake season and last minute cake orders. Meg, Elizabeth, and Valerie who act as liaison and wedding cake consultants translating ideas into reality. I feel fortunate to work alongside these people every day. Our shared passions for food and art have given me two marvelous decades of creating cakes and a career of a lifetime. Last but not least, I thank my brother Patrick for following his dreams and believing in me. This job has been the icing on the cake.

Thank you to all our wonderful friends and customers who nominated us for the Best of Springfield! If you'd like to cast a vote for the Best of Springfield 2016, please visit the Illinois Times website before October 2nd. Thank you to our following Employees for their outstanding work and dedication to excellence who make every day possible at Incredibly Delicious! Farmer's Market: Gary, Tess, and AlyssaFront of House: Stefani, Meg, McKenna, Kat, Lea, Keagan, Bridgette, Shayla, Alyssa, Abbey^2, AaronFront of House Manager: ElizabethKitchen Crew: Andy, James, Nathan, Brittney, Tess, Devlin, Phil, Zaxxson, PJ, Cori, AaronKitchen Manager: PeterCookies: Nancy, SusanGrounds Crew: Rick, Pam, TylerWedding Cake Consultants: Meg, Elizabeth, ValarieWedding Event Manager: MelanieCo-Owners: Patrick and Penny

Melanie Dineen

Cake Designer, Photographer, and Blog Author for Incredibly Delicious, Melanie has had over 20 incredible years of experience developing her delicious craft for Buttercream. She works alongside her Brother, Patrick Groth, and Mother, Penny Russel, Co-owners of Incredibly Delicious.